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.25  III  1.4 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


1.8 


1.6 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

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I 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  institut  Canadian  da  microraproductions  historiquas 


O' 


rts 


i 


rt,*^*^«.^^4sM**K**«!a^sM^rtS»lfe;^*.*^^ 


v^^iAtksi.  >IAl!;  .t»>i.  ,(i,.l*.«*'i*Mi*.***iiJ'  »^J  'iM,l^iih. 


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10X 

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X 

^^^"^ 

i?y 

IfiX 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

re 

I6tail8 
)S  du 
nodifier 
»r  une 
ilmage 


les 


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premlAre  page  qui!  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

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derniAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 

I  es  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diff Arents. 
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et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


errata 
d  to 

it 

e  pelure, 

;on  A 


n 


32X 


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1 

2 

3 

4 


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.i-^.'i^.i'i:^9;iS^y--  '■  ^H^i;.^..  n--«r-^-ir*i3 


1 


Truth  is  slranncr  than  fiction." 


THE 

1 

; 

RIVER  NIAGARA. 

1 

1'^ 

DESCRIPTIVE 

1 

J   .               1 

AND 

■ 

1  ^        1 

HISTORICAL. 

1 

I 

PAN-AMERICAN    EDITION. 

[                                       . 

it 

1    , 

Bv    KARTON    ATKINS 

1. 

i; 

i 

i 

BUFFALO,  N    Y. 

■ 

i 

t 
i 

— 

Ik- ■ —  ■■  •■^■" 

J 

fin 


CopyriRlil,  iS'itj,  hy  H.akm'N  Aikin>. 


7 


/ 


MAIIH    IN 

■I  UK    lOMl'l.KTK    ,\KI-IKINIIN(.    WdKKS 

l)K 

IIIK    MATTIIKWSNOHIIIKL'''    Co., 

lilHAl.n.   \.  V. 


*!&;., 


li'T-iViV.  '   ■'"-■ 


4? 


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<:^- 

>» 
^ 


5 


THE  RIVER  NIAGARA. 

CHArTKK   1 

I.AKI.V    IIISTOUV. 

""pHI'',  I'an-Amcrican  llxiKisition  i.s  located  on  the 
*  l)orilcr  of  tlio  most  wonderful  and  renowned 
freshwater  course  on  the  globe.  The  evtntfnl 
history  of  the  Niagara  River  is  in  keeping  with  the 
majesti<-  wonders  of  Nature  there  ))resented. 

The  wonderful  Niagara!  Ilowing  from  Lake  Krie 
to  I-ake  Ontario,  prior  to  IH-io  (when  was  opened 
the  Krie  Canal),  was  the  gateway  to  western  empire 
and  civilization,  a  prominent  ta<  tor  in  the  settle- 
ment of  a  region  now  of  vast  expanse  and  ix)pida- 
tion,  and  of  unlimited  resources.  This  writing  is 
descriptive  of  the  famous  ri.ver,  of  its  historic  Iwali- 
ties,  and  of  the  imi)ortant  events  occurring  thereon 
and  thereby,  on  the  march  to  civilization  and  settle- 
ment. 

The  region  was  first  known  to  the  civilized  world 
through  the  report  of  James  Cartier,  a  French  navi- 
gator, who,  in  ir)84,  discovered  and  explored  the 
(lulf  of  St.  Lawrence. 

Cartier  was  told,  by  the  natives,  that  the  big  river 
flowing  into  the  C.ulf  came  from  a  big  lake  far  in  the 


.    I    i> 


(J  The  Niagara  River. 

interior,  and  at  the  end  of  the  lake,  another  h\g 
river  (lowed  therein,  and  in  that  river  there  was  a 
niinluv  waterlall,  hnt  l)e>ond  that,  they  knew  noth- 
ing, earlier  explored  the  St.  Lawrence,  before 
returninK  to  I'ranc  e.  as  lar  as  the  present  « ity  of 
Montreal  ;  and  in  his  reiwrt  to  his  government  is 
first  mentioned  the  existence  of  the  river  Niagara 
and  its  catarac  t  — so  far  as  history  tells. 

The  disclosure,  of  (artier  stimnlated  the  zeal  of 
lesuit  missionaries  ami  fur-traders,  who,  after  a  long 
interval,   penetrated  the  vast  water  course  ami  the 
wilderness  adjac  ent  thereto.      Prior  to  the  dose  of 
the  sixteenth  c  entiiry,  these  adventurers  were  estab- 
lished on  the  lower  St.  Lawrence,  and  early  in  the 
seventeenth  c  entury  fhamplain,  on  the  borders  of 
Lake  Ontario,  wa*  warring  the  native  Irocpiois,   in 
order  to  establish  the  colony  of  New   France.      In 
1  (',»•>!•  came  the  intrepid  explorer,    Robert  Cavelier 
de  La  Salle,  who  oenetrated   Lake  Ontario  unto  its 
western   extremity,  to    Hnrlington    Hay,    where   he 
JK'ld  a  conference  wi*h   the    Indians,   on   the   spot 
where  is  now  the  I  ity  of  Hamilton.      From  thence 
La    Salle   returned   easterly,   to  the   mouth  of  the 
Ocnesee    River,    through    which    water    course    he 
crossed  the  present  State  of  New  N  ork,  and  beyoml, 
reaching  a  "large  river,"  supposed  to  have  been  the 

( )hio. 

La  Salle's  account  of  that    exi.edition    does   not 
state  that  he  then  eutereJ  the  river  Niagara. 


X 


^fc^U— 


■r   big 

was  a 

noth- 
bcforc 

ily  of 
lent  is 
tiagara 

zeal  of 
a  IctiiK 
ml  the 
lose  of 
estah- 
in  the 
tiers  of 
lois,   in 
:e.     In 
'avelier 
unto  its 
lere   he 
le   spot 
thence 
of  the 
irse    he 
lie'yoml, 
)een  the 

oes  not 


I 


FMrly  History.  ' 

Ten  years  later,  1.;.  Salle  returned  to  Lake 
Ontario.'and,  on  a  small  vessel  of  ten  tons,  sailed 
into  the  nwuth  of  the  big  river,  <  ailed  by  the  natives 
Niah-giuih.  Such  orthography  was  changed  to 
Niagara  by  the  Frenrh,  in  K^M.  History  does  nut 
record  that  white  men  entered  the  Niagara  k.ver 
prior  to  La  Salle. 

'I'he  little  vessel  ascended  the  river  for  seven  miles, 
unto  the  lower  rapids,  where  her  i.rogress  was  inter- 
rupted. At  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  on  the  exst  bank 
of  the  river.  La  Salle  constructed  a  cabin  surrounded 
by  a  iwlisade,  a  store  house  — his  base  of  supplies 
for  his  |)rojected  expedition  to  explore  the  great 
inland  waters  beyond.  U  Salle's  structure  was 
erected  where  is  now  Lewiston  Unding,  and  the 
locality  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  first  foot- 
hold of  white  men  on  the  borders  of  the  Niagara. 

With  U  Salle  was  Father  Henne|)in,  who  made 
an  exploration  of  the  river  unto  Uke  Erie,  and  gave 
to  history  the  first  description  of  the  great  cataract 
thereon.  The  river  is  believed  to  have  been  trav- 
ersed by  Jesuit  missionaries  as  early  as  1640,  though 
no  account  thereof  was  made  kno  vn  to  history. 

Five  miles  above  the  cataract  1^  Salle  constructed 
a  larger  vessel,  the  historic  Grifoft,  with  which  he 
and  Hennepin,  on  August  7,  1G79,  sailed  into  Lake 
Erie ;  the  first  ves.sel,  other  than  canoes,  and,  per- 
haps,'the  battcaux  of  the  missionaries,  to  float  on 
the  great  waters  above  the  Falls  of  Niagara. 


I 


--■mmJL 


8  The  Niagara  River. 

The  Niagara  Frontier,  in  early  time,  was  a 
(lark  and  Moody  ground  of  savage  warfare.  The 
region  was  for  a  long  period  peaceably  occupied 
by  the  Neuter  Nation,  but  the  more  powerful 
nation  of  Irocpiois  <oveted  their  grand  hunting  and 
fishing  ground,  and,  to  obtain  possession  thereof, 
waged  a  war  of  extermination  against  the  occujants, 
ending  with  their  utter  annihilation. 

Later  on  the  region  was  the  scene  of  bloody  strife 
between  the  forces  of  France  and  pjigland,  each 
with  savage  allies,  in  furtherance  of  their  frantic 
st  hemes  of  American  colonization  ;  and,  subse- 
ijuently,  of  the  heroic  battles  between  American  and 
ilritish  forces  in  the  war  of  IHl'i. 


'11 


The  River  and  Islands. 


e 


was  a 
The 
Lxiipicd 
owfrful 
ing  and 
[hereof, 
:u|)ants, 

ly  strife 

(1,  each 

frantic 

suhse- 

can  and 


CHAPTER  II. 

Till'.   KIVKK  AND  ISLANDS. 

IN   its   immense  water-flow,  its  grand  scenery  and 
historic  lore,  the  Niagara  is  one  of  the  most  re- 
nowned rivers  of  the  world.      Ihe  single  outlet  of 
the  great  inland  seas  :  lakes  Superior,  Huron,  Mich- 
igan, St.  Clair  and  Krie,  together  with  their  hundreds 
of  tributary  streams,  comprising  a  water  surface  of 
r)00,00()  s(iuare  miles,  more  than  one-half  the  fresh 
water  of  the  globe,  must  justify  such  distinction. 
On  its  course  from  Uke  Erie,  for  three  miles,  the 
river  is  only  one-half  mile  in  width,   varying  in 
depth  from  twenty  to  forty  feet,  and  with  a  current 
flowing  nine  miles  per  hour  over  a  rock  bottom.    At 
the   end  of  this  distance  the  shores   recede,  until 
reaching  a  width  (measuring  across  Grand  Island) 
of  eight  miles  from  shore  to  shore.     Here  the  flow 
of  waters  is  more  peaceful,  yet  diligently  the  large 
volume  glides  along  to  its  precipitous  leap.     Two 
miles  above  the  Falls,  where  the  river  is  about  two 
miles  wide,  the  flood  of  waters  commence,  between 
contracting  shores,  a  wild   rush   for   the   '^taract, 
thus  increasing  its  velocity  to  fifteen  miles  per  hour 
before   taking  its  awful  pK  ige.     From  that  iK)int 
to  the  verge  of  the  falls,  the  descent  is  fifty-seven 
feet,   and   then   a  perpendicular    fall   of   164   feet 
into  the  boiling  abyss  below.     These  two  miles  of 


1/1 
n 

e 

c 


< 
to. 


The  River  and  hlands. 


11 


•a 
E 


< 


rapids  are  an  important  feature  of  the  wonders  of 
Niagara,  the  foam-crested  breakers  dashing  and 
leaping  twenty  feet  above  the  main  current.  The 
raging  waters  roar,  hiss  and  boil  in  endless  agony, 
forming  a  scene  awing  to  the  beholder. 

The  two  views  ot  the  Falls  herein  displayed  are 
of  ancient  origin,  being  taken  from  a  sketch  made 
in  175)0,  by  Duke  de  Liancourt,  a  French  savant, 
then  a  pilgrim  to  Niagara.      His  description  of  the 
cataract  is  ipiaint  reading.     An  extract  is  appended  : 
"There  it  falls  in  one  dense  awful  mass  of  green 
waters,  unbroken  and  resistless ;  here  it  is  broken 
into  drops,  and  falls  like  a  sea  of  diamonds  s[)arkling 
in  the  sun.     Now  it  shoots  forth  like  rockets  in  end- 
less succession,  and  now  it  is  so  light  and  foaming 
that  it  dances  in  the  sun  as  it  goes.     Then  there  is 
the  deei)  expanding  pool  below,  where  the  waters 
pitch  in  agitation  and  foam,  and  beyond  the  waters 
spread  out  like  a  rii)pling  sea  of  alabaster. 

"This  last  feature  is  perfectly  uni.pie,  and  one 
would  think  nothing  could  add  to  its  loveliness  ;  but 
there  lies  upon  it,  as  if  they  were  made  for  each 
other,  'Heaven's  own  bow.'  C),  never  in  heaven 
itself  had  it  so  fair  a  resting  place. 

"Above  and  overhanging  me  was  Table  Rock, 
while  immediately  before  me  was  spread,  in  all  its 
height  and  majesty,  the  unspeakable  cataract  itself; 
seeming  to  fall  direct  from  heaven,  and  rushing  to 
the  earth  with  a  weight  and  voice  that  made  the 


'M 


The  Niagara  River. 


12 

rocks  around  me  fairly  tremble.  The  power,  the  sub- 
limity, the  beauty,  the  bliss  of  the  scene  — it  cannot 
be  told." 

Some  tlifee  score  years  ago  a  pilgrim  to  Niagara 
was  insjjired  in  manner  [lartially  as  follows : 

I  lail  !  thee  -  Colossal  Flood  !  thy  majesty  and  miglit 
Amazes  —  then  enraptures  —  then  o'erawes  the  sight  ; 
The  glare  of  lordly  kings,  in  every  clime  and  zone, 
Is  dim  beneath  the  splendor  of  thy  o'erpour'ng  throne. 
No  hindrance  to  thy  lusty  (low,  no  power  bids  thee  stay, 
Onward  —  ever  onward  — thy  current  holds  its  way  ; 
The  rising  mists  that  veil  Ihcc  —  thy  grand  overpour, 
I'roclaim  thee  —  -Jreation's  Wonder  !  with  an  endless  roar. 
Thy  diadem    -  .•>  •  emeral.l  green  —  of  the  rarest,  purest  hue, 
Sfl  on  waves  of  snowy  foam  and  spray  of  fleeting  dew  ; 
Tresses  of  the  brightest  pearls  adorn  thy  stately  sheet. 
The  rainbow  lays  its  radiant  gems  in  homage  at  thy  feet. 

If  mountains  are  as  naught  in  the  hollow  of  Thy  hand, 
If  continents,  in  Thy  balance,  are  but  grains  of  sand  ; 
If  Niagara  is  so  very  great,  to  us  who  lowly  bow, 
(),  Creator  !  of  all,  how  surpassing  great  art  Thou  ! 

For  seven  miles  below  the  Falls  the  river  courses 
through  a  deep  gorge,  about  HOO  feet  wide,  lined  by 
towering  walls,  the  lops  of  which  are  on  a  level  with 
the  river  banks  above  the  cataracts.  At  the  foot  of 
the  gorge  is  Lewiston,  where  the  river  again  ex- 
jjands,  and  from  thence  peacefully  flows  seven  miles 
further  to  Lake  Ontario.  For  nearly  two  miles 
below  the  Falls  the  current  is  sluggish,  with  a  depth 
of  250  feet.     Then,  again,  the  flood  rushes  on  with 


The  River  ami  hlands. 


IS 


he  sub- 
cannot 

*t]iagara 

It 

i; 

If. 

stay, 


ss  roar, 
rest  hue, 
low  ; 

!Lt, 

f.tt. 

♦ 
aiut, 
Id; 


courses 
lined  by 
vel  with 
2  foot  of 
^ain  ex- 
;n  miles 
o  miles 
a  depth 
on  with 


api^allinp  velocity  down  a  <hannel.  between  hi.'h 
walls,  not  more  than  TOO  feet  wi.le  at  several  i)0,nts. 
The  sublime  grandeur  of  the  scene  confuses  humaii 
comprehension.  When  ga/ing  upon  the  angry  Hood 
through  this  portion  of  the  gorge,  an  unequaled 
scene  is  presented.  At  some  i)oints  in  its  mad  rush, 
the  pent-up  current  piles  up  in  the  middle  ot  the 
stream,  nine  feet  higher  than  at  the  edge.  Nowhere 
in  the  world  are  waters  more  turbulent. 

-imiK'tuously, 


The  raging  waters  sweep  ; 
They  corne  in  their  sublimity, 
Desctmling  ieaj)  <>'tr  leap. 

Ill  wrath  anil  roir  they  rusli  alonj;. 

Through  cragged  rocks  they  flow  ; 

Madlv  roaring  down  it  comes. 

It  boils,  and  foams,  aiul  thunders  through." 

The  descent  of  the  river  from  Uke  Erie  to  Lewis- 
ton,  seven  miles  below  the  Falls,  is  abot.t  m  feet. 
From  the  lake  to  the  cataract,  the  descent  .s  eighty - 
seven  feet;   then  a  perpendicular  fall  of  1(54  feet; 
from  thence,  through  the  gorge  to  Lew.ston,  seven 
miles,  the  fall  is  about  eighty-six  feet.     When  con- 
templating  the   vast  source  of    water  supply    the 
immensity  of   the   flow  will  be  justified.     Of  the 
nuantity  of  water  passing  over  the   Falls,  est.mates 
have  been   made  by  several  scientists.       Professor 
Lyell  says,   fifteen  hundred  millions  of  cub..-  leet 
every  minute.     Dr.  Dwight  estimates  that  over  one- 


Gorge  Kajids, —  From  a  l>Ji<>li>^rra|ih 


\^. 


11 


The  Rivef  and  hlatui's. 


15 


hmulrctl  millions  of  ttms  i)asses  over  the  horseshoe 
tall  every  hour. 

It  is  estimated  that  at  the  center  of  the  horseshoe 
<ataratt,  and  for  a  distance  above,  the  water  is  at 
least  twenty  feet  deej).     Such  estimate  was  confirmed 
in  lH2i>,  when  the  schooner  Ditroit  passeil  over  that 
point.      I'he  bottom  of  the  vessel  was  broken  in  the 
rapids  above,  when  the  hull  became  water-logged, 
and  sunken  decks  to,  necessarily  drawing  eighteen 
feet.     Nevertheless,  for  a  distance  above,  and  over  the 
brink,  the  wreck  met  no  obstruction,  passing  freely 
over.      Ihe  Dtlroit  was  a  prize  of  Perry's  victory  i 
Having  been  naturalized  amid  the  booming  of  big 
guns,  she  served  as  an  American  merchantman  some 
fifteen  years,  and  then  was  sold  for  an  exhibition. 

rhe  islands  of  the  river,  including  islets  in  the 
rapids  above  the  cataracts,  are  about  forty  in  number. 
First    in   course   is  Squaw    Island,   (ontaining    1;}1 
acres  ;    then   Strawberry    Island,  about    100   acres. 
Then  comes  C.rand  Island,  commencing  five  miles 
below   Lake   Erie,  and   extending   to  within   three 
miles  of  the  Falls,  containing  17,-'?84  acres  of  well- 
timbered   and    productive   land.      Fhnking   C.rand 
Island  are  Beaver  Island,  thirty   acres  ;   Rattlesnake, 
forty-five  acres  ;    Huckhorn,  145  acres  ;    Tonawanda 
Island,  sixty  acres  ;    and   Navy   Island,  300  acres. 
Below,  near  the  .\merii:an  shore,  is  Cayuga  Island, 
100  acres.     Of  these,  Beaver,  Navy  and  Cayuga  are 
timbered,  and  have  good  soil. 


•    '       II    — "ill  *T',    -'--T^BI 


Tmk  Horseshoe  Cataract,  Canadian  S...*.-  From 
a  Sketch  Made  in  179s- 


L 


The  River  and  Islands. 


17 


Coat,  properly  Iris,  Island  divides  the  Falls  into 
seijarate  sheets.  It  is  about  half  a  mile  long,  and 
about  half  the  distance  in  width  ;  containing  seventy- 
five  acres  of  timbered  land.  Situated  between  chan- 
nels of  wild  rapids,  and  flanked  on  either  side  by 
the  most  majestic  cataracts  in  the  world,  it  is,  be- 
yond iiuestion,  the  most  pictures(|ue,  fascinating  and 
romantic  si)Ot  of  earth  on  the  globe.  Visitors  are 
reluctant  to  deiKirt  therefrom,  and  are  wont  to  muse 
with  Montgomery  : 

"  If  (;oil  liath  iiKulc  this  world  so  fair, 
Where  sin  ;in<l  ileath  iiliouiul  ; 
I  low  iKautiful  bcyoiul  compare, 
Will  Paradise  !  be  found." 


From 


18 


The  Niagara  River. 


CHAPTER    111. 

iiisroKic  roiNTs. 

FORT  Niagara   was   originally    « onstructcd  as  a 
defensive  work,  in  KiHO,  by   the  Maniuis  Dc 
NonviUe,  a  French  military  officer.     La  Salle  erected 
two  block-houses  on  the  site  in  1C.78,  which,  how- 
ever, were  burned  soon  after.      The  fortification  has 
in  turn  been  occupied  by  the  French,  English  and 
Americans.     Some  of  the  ancient  structures  erected 
by  the  French  still  exist.      The  location  is  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  and  eligible  for  the  purpose   in   all 
America.     In  the  i)romotion  of  western  discovery, 
civilization  and  settlement,  as  a  base,  the  fort  was  of 
great  imix)rtance  ;  and  during  two  centuries  of  time 
it  was  coveted  in  war,  and  in  intrigue  with   the 
native  savages. 

Opposite  Fort  Niagara  is  the  pleasant  village  of 
Niagara-on-the-Uke,  once  called  Newark  ;  and  a 
short  distance  above,  on  the  river  bank,  is  Fort 
C.eorge,  a  defensive  work  constructed  in  1798. 
Fort  Cieorge  was  besieged  and  captured  by  the 
Americans  in  1813.  Six  miles  above,  on  the  Cana- 
dian side,  is  Queenston,  where  a  desperate  battle 
between  British  and  American  forces  was  fought, 
July  25,  1814.  In  this  engagement  the  British 
Cleneral  Brock,  a  valorous  officer,  was  killed.  There, 
on  a  bold   prominence,  stands  his  majestic  monu- 


(U 


T^ 


«» 


Historic  Points. 


10 


:tc(l  as  a 
n|uis  Dc 
c  ercctetl 
ich,  how- 
ation  has 
iglish  and 
.'s  erected 
jne  of  the 
se  in  all 
liscovery, 
ort  was  of 
;s  of  time 
with   the 

village  of 
k ;  and  a 
i,    is   Fort 

in  1798. 
:d   by  the 

the  Cana- 
ate  battle 
as  fought, 
he  British 
d.  There, 
itic  monu- 


ment, visible  from  many  miles  surrounding.  I  his 
shore  is  hallowed  ground.  In  i\icl,  the  west  bank  ol 
the  river,  all  the  way  to  Fort  Krie,  is  extremely 
l)ictures(iue  and  interestingly  historic.  Over  this 
highway  bo  armies  of  the  war  of  1H12  marched 
and  countermarched  to  the  strains  of  martial  music, 
each,  in  turn,  to  triumph,  and  on  retreat.  On  the 
American  side,  opposite  Queenston,  is  Lew.ston, 
celebrated  as  the  white  man's  first  foothold  on  the 
Niagr.ra  Frontier  above  Uke  Ontario. 

Three  miles  above  Lewiston  is  the  Dev^ils  Hole,  a 
deep  gorge,  penetrating,  at  right  angles,  the  high 
wall  of  the  river.     It  is  150  feet  deep,  with  perpen- 
dicular   walls.     Here,    in    1763,    was    enacted    a 
horrible  tragedy.     A  wagon-train  conveying  military 
supplies,  consisting  of  twenty  or  more  wagons,  was 
attacked     by    five    or   six    hundred    Indians,    who 
pillaged  the  train  and  threw  the  horses,  oxen  and 
wagons  over  the  bank,  and  ma.ssacred  all  but  two  of 
the  drivers  and  escorts.     Hearing  of  the  affray,  the 
garrison  at  Lewiston,  consisting  of  two  companies 
of  trooi)s,  ha.stened  to  the  scene.     On  their  arrival 
the  savages  were  in  ambush,  and  all  but  a  half  do/en 
of  the  soldiers  were  killed,  some  by  musket  balls, 
some  by  the  tomahawk,  and  some  by  being  driven 
over  the  bank  to  certain  death  on  the  bottom  rocks. 
Eighty  scaljxs  were  the  trophies  of  the  savages. 

Three  miles  above  the  cataract,  on  the  American 
shore,     is    the    historic    landing,     Fort    Schlosser, 


ia 


ill 


Historic  Points. 


'it 


originally  named  I'ort  d.i  Pane,  l.y  the  iTomh,  an.l 
sulwciut-ntly.  l.iUlc  Fort,  l.y  the  Uritisli.  and  was 
finally  given  its  modern  name,  for  Captain  Joseph 
Schlotwer,  a  C.erman  serving  in  the  British  army  on 
the  frontier,  in  \-T^\).  The  landing  is  further  noteil 
as  the  place  where  the  steamboat  Cvv/inc  was  cut 
out  ami  sent  flaming  over  the  Falls,  Deceml.er  2», 
1837.  The  locality  is  now  the  site  of  extensive 
electric  works,  and  named  i;chota. 

On  the  opi.osite  shore,  al.reast  of  Fort  Schlosser, 
is  the  .[uaint  town  of  Chipi.ewa,  a  noted  battle- 
ground of  the  war  of  IHl'i.  Ihe  village  contains  a 
number  of  old  buildings  erected  in  the  eighteenih 

century. 

On  the   American    shore,   under   the   shelter    oi 

Cayuga  Island,  in  KiTSt,  I -a  Salle  constructed  the 

Griffon,  the  pioneer  vessel  of  western  civilization. 

The  river  and  island  scenery  there  presented  is  yet 

the  same  as  when  the  historic  vessel  was  launc  bed 

220  years  ago. 

Still  another  famous  locality  is  Perry's  Shipyard, 
under  the  shelter  of  Scjuaw  Island.  Here,  in  IHl.'i, 
were  constructed  three  vessels,  to  add  to  the  fleet 
building  at  Presc|ue  Isle. 

The  old  ferry  to  Fort  F:rie  was  an  early  enterprise. 
F:arly  voyagers  mentioned  its  existence  at  the  time 
of  the  Revohition.     Until  the  advent  of  the  horse 
boat,  in  l«2r),  the  ferry  was  supplied  with  scows 
propelled  by  sweeps,  wielded   by  lusty    watermen. 


I 


; 


•>') 


r/v  Niagara  River. 


'I'hc  iliiwtmlion,  a  roprodiu  tion  of  an  old  jtrint 
l»iililihhc(l  in  IMIH,  shows  the  landinj;  on  the  Ameri- 
can side,  where  now  is  the  Front. 

An  historic  institution  is  the  terry  across  the  Niag- 
ara to  Fort  l'>ie.     Could  it  relate  its  history,  inter 
esling  interviews  would  lie  in  order. 


f 


^ 


The  War  at  HuffM. 


28 


(I    print 
Amcri- 

\c  NiitK- 
V,  inliT 


?. 


f 


CHAl'THk    IV. 

Till'.   WAK    AT    III  II' A  I, O. 

/^N  '..nc  'iU,  1812,  a  moHsciiKor  from  VVashin(,'t(»n 
^^  .urivL'd  on  the  Ironticr  with  intelligent  e  that 
war  had  l)ecn  (iecl.ireil  against  (;roat  Hrilain.  'I'ho 
American  si  hooner  Connrttiiiif,  in  ignorance  of  the 
fact,  was  then  at  anchor  off  the  mouth  of  Hnffalo 
Creek,  awaiting  a  fair  wind  to  depart  up  the  lake. 
In  the  afternoon  the  schooner  was  approached  by 
two  rowboat.s  fdled  with  armed  Canadians,  who 
seized  the  vessel  and  moved  her  to  a  position 
covered  by  the  guns  of  Fort  Krie. 

This  was  the  first  hostile  demonstration  of  the 
war  on  the  Niagara  frontier.  Then,  lutterics  and 
earthworks  were  thrown  up  on  both  banks  of  the 
river.  Above  the  mouth  of  Scajaipiada  Creek  was 
the  Sailors'  Battery,  where  were  moimted  three  \V>- 
|)ounders.  One-half  mile  alwve  this  wa.s  another 
battery  of  three  guns.  lielow  the  present  site  of 
Fort  I'orter  was  Fort  Tompkins,  a  l.irger  fortification. 
Just  above  Fort  Tompkins  was  a  mortar  battery, 
armed  with  an  eight-inch  mortar.  This  historic 
imjilement  of  war  now  [)Oses,  fitly  inscribed,  near 
the  monument  in  Lafayette  Park  ;  accomi)anied  by 
two  British  cannon  captured  with  the  brig  At/ams,  in 
a  conflict  hereafter  described.  On  the  ninth  of  Oc- 
tober, Lieut.  Klliott,  a  naval  officer  assigned  to 
the   frontier  with   Ferry,  stood  on  the  river  bank. 


mi.w»i-i  'iiiiif    iB'i""^rrr'Vl 


Pifr-.^u^  ^mw^mMmii  ^tim--«*nyfs^>^vtmm^^3'SK.TJV^jrr''^-^- 


24  The  Niagara  River. 

where  now  is  Fort  Porter,  watching  a  vessel  approach- 
ing from  the  lake.  Near  by  Elliott  stood  the  famous 
Seneca  Chief,   Farmers  Brother,  also  with  eyes  on 

the  vessel. 

Then  the  new  arrival  anchored  nigh  unto  the 
British  brig-of-war  A<fafns,  moored  under  the  guns 
of  Fort  F:rie.  The  stranger  was  the  British  schooner 
Caledonia,  with  a  cargo  of  furs  from  Uke  Huron. 
Farmers  Brother,  ever  loyal  to  the  Americans,  said 
to  Elliott,  when  jjointing  to  the  two  vessels,  "Vou 
take  'em,  got  furs,  plenty.  You  take  boats,  soldiers, 
plenty,  night,  dark,  you  take  'em." 

The  lieutenant  grasped  the  suggestion  of  the  old 
chief  with   enthusiasm,  and   at   once   took   action. 
Applying  to  Capt.  Towson  of  the  army  for  a  force 
of  men,  that  officer  readily  entered  into  the  scheme. 
At  one  o'clock  in  the  morning  four  boats,  filled  with 
armed  men,  left  the  American  shore,  two  under  the 
direction   of  Towson,    and    the   two   others   under 
Elliott.      The  night  was  rainy  and  dark.     Making  a 
detour  well  above   the   unsuspecting  enemy,  they 
allowed  the  boats  to  silently  drift  down  the  current 
upon  the  vessels.    Simultaneously  they  were  boarded, 
and  before  their  sleeping  force  was  half  awakened 
the  Americans  had  possession  of  the  vessels,  had  slipt 
their  cables,  and  had  them  under  sail  for  the  Ameri- 
can  shore.       Fifty-eight    prisoners   were   captured, 
including  three  officers  ;  and  thirty-eight  American 
prisoners,  confined  on  the  brig  Adams,  were  recap- 
tured.      With   the   expedition   were    three   citizen 


\\ 


' 


The  IVar  at  Buffalo. 


25 


volunteers  :  Dr.  Cyrenius  Chapin,  (luy  J.  Atkins 
and  James  Sloan.  The  two  latter  navigated  the 
vessels  after  their  capture. 

In  1812  Buffalo  was  a  frontier  hamlet  of  about 
500  people,  and  one  hundred  buildings.  These 
were  scattered  along  on  what  is  now  Main  Street 
from  the  Terrace  uj)  to  the  present  (loodell  Street. 
Then  the  Terrace  was  a  sandy  bluff,  between  which 
and  the  creek  stretched  a  morass  with  a  riotous 
growth  of  bushes  and  rank  grasses.  The  lake,  river, 
and  Canada  shore  at  Fort  Krie  were  in  plain  view 
from  the  sand  bluff".  From  other  directions  a  dense 
forest  crowded  tht  hamlet. 

\Vhen  war  came  it  brought  dire  calamity  to  the 
village  of  Buffalo.  Its  inhabitants  were  compelled 
to  flee  from  the  flames  of  their  burning  homes  in 
mid-winter  to  find  shelter  in  adjacent  settlements. 
With  the  exception  of  two  buildings,  their  village 
v/as  in  ashes.  The  following  account  of  the  burn- 
ing, recently  published  for  the  first  time,  is  a  concise 
and  conservative  statement  ; 

"When  Gen.  Wilkinson,  in  1813,  retired  to 
lower  I^ke  Ontario,  he  left  (Jen.  McClure  in  com- 
mand of  the  force  on  the  Niagara,  who  made  his  head- 
Huarters  at  Fort  (Jeorge,  from  whence  he  issued 
flaming  proclamations,  and  when  abandoning  that 
position  committed  the  needless  cruelty  of  burning 
the  adjacent  village  of  Newark,  thereby  turning 
helpless  families  out  into  winter's  cold  and  snow. 
The  inhuman  act  brought  condign  punishment  on 


MUMlHi 


mmmiiiittim 


iHiilMiiiilM 


26  The  Niagara  River. 

the    American    frontier.       Then    McClure   took   up 
head.iuarters  in  Buffalo.     The  British,  fired  with  the 
spirit  of  revenge,  vuidertook  reprisals.     The  whole 
riverude  from  Lewiston  to  Tonawanda  Creek   was 
devastated  by  the  British  and  their  allied  savages. 
During  the  three  weeks  following  the  destruction  of 
Newark,  six  American  villages  were  burned,  together 
with  all  the  scattered  homes  the  avengers  could  find, 
den.  McClure  called  for  volunteers  to  rally  for  the 
defense  of  Buffalo,  and  then  went  to  Batavia  and 
gave  up  the  command  to  (ien.  Hall,  who  hurried  on 
to  Buffalo  such  available   force   as   he   could  find, 
where  he  arrived  December  25th,  and  did  all  he  could 
to  repel  the  invaders.     The  talc  has  often  been  told 
how  small  detachments  of  Americans  were  in  turn 
thrown  against  the  enemy,  and  in  turn  demoralized  ; 
how  the  British  landed  at  Black  Rock  and  marched 
up  to  the  doomed  village,  dispersing  such  resistance 
as  they  met.     Then  followed  a  scene  which  passes 
description.     The  few  roads  leading  out   from  the 
burning  hamlet  were  thronged  with  a  motely  crowd, 
all  hurrying  as  fast  as  possible  from  the  revengeful 
enemy,  with  terror  blanching  every  face." 

Such  was  the  result  of  the  unnecessary  destruction 
of  the  Canadian  village  by  C.en.  McClure  on  his 
evacuation  of  Fort  George  ;  and  who  then  and  there 
disgraced  the  uniform  of  an  American  officer  in  so 
doing.  A  true  soldier  would  have  shrunk  from  such 
wanton  cruelty. 


*>^ 


Battle  of  ScajaqmiU  Creek. 


27 


CHAPTER  V. 

BATTI.K  OV  SCAJAQUADA  CUKl^K. 

f  N  the  summer  of  1814,  Fort  Eric  was  garrisoned 
*     by  American  troops,  under   Hrig.-Clen.  Cains. 
On    August    .'W,    (Icn.     Drummond    marched    his 
British   regulars,   S,000  strong,  from   the  garrisons 
at  Chii)pewa  and  Fort  Oeorge,  up  the  west  bank  of 
the  Niagara,  to  storm  the  fort.     On  his  arrival,  the 
British   commander   learned   that    the   works   were 
manned  secure  against  a  coup  de  main,  which  caused 
him  to  resort  to  an  investment.     An  expedition  to 
seize  military  stores,  and  destroy  magazines  at  Buf- 
falo,   consisting    of    a    strong    force    under    Col. 
Tucker,  was  thrown  across  the  river,  landing  below 
the   mouth   of  Scajaciuada    Creek,  with    orders  to 
cross  before  daybreak,  and  then  strike  for  the  sup- 
plies   and    magazines.      Oen.    Brown,  anticiiwting 
such  a  purpose,  had  withdrawn  Maj.  Morgan,  wiih 
his  force  of  riflemen,  from  Fort  Erie,  and  had  tnem 
stationed  at  Black  Rock,  to  watch  the  movements 
of  the  enemy.      Morgan  descried   the  British  ap- 
proaching, and  moved  his  men  to  the  south  bank 
of  the  Scaja(iuada,  removed  the  planking  from  the 
bridge  spanning  the  stream,  and  there  awaited  the 

enemy. 

When  the  raiding  force  arrived   they  found  the 
bridge   of    no  avail,  and    the    stream   unfordable. 


iMIi 


28 


The  Niagara  River. 


When  atteinpiing  to  repair  the  bridge,  the  enemy 
received  a  warm  reception  from  the  riflemen,  causing 
them  to  fall  back  on  the  line,  and  then,  for  upwards 
of  an  hour,  a  hot  battle  ensued. 

In  the  mean  time  Tucker  had  disjatched  a  strong 
force  on  a  left  flank,  to  ford  the  creek  higher  u|> 
stream.  Morgan  met  this  force  at  the  ford  with  a 
like  detachment,  where  a  fierce  combat  took  place, 
ending  with  the  recoil  of  the  enemy,  and  retire- 
ment to  their  main  body. 

Having  in  two  attempts  failed  to  cross  the  creek, 
the  enemy  gathered  their  dead  and  wounded  and 
hastily  retreated  to  their  boats,  and  retui.ied  to  the 
west  side  of  the  river. 

There  were  a  number  of  sharp  encounters  on  the 
banks  of  the  Scajacjuada  during  the  war,  the  above- 
described  being  the  last  of  the  series  — the  farewell 
engagement. 

The  Scajatpiada :  The  historic  water -course 
named  for  an  historic  chieftain  ;  whose  lone  cabin 
marked  its  bank  prior  to  the  footprints  of  the  white 
man.  The  word  is  of  Iroquois  dialect  and  signifies 
isolation  —  "away  from  the  multitude."  Rever- 
ently the  stream  observes  simplicity,  as  yet,  its  lone- 
liness is  unbroken,  quietly  it  winds  the  monumental 
slopes  of  Forest  1-iwn.  Then,  on  its  way  to  the 
Niagara,  it  courses  the  pictures(iue  grounds  of  the 
Pan-American  Exposition. 


, 


The  Siege  of  Fort  Erie.  29 


. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THK  SIEGK  OF   FORT   ERIK. 

THK  account  here  given  of  the  battles  of  Fort 
Erie  is  based  on  the  reports  to  Congress  of  the 
then  Secretary  of  War,  Pecember,  1814. 

On  the  12th  of  August,  Gen.  Dnimmond's  de- 
fensive and  offensive  measures  being  completed, 
he,  on  the  morning  of  the  13th,  began  his  attack  on 
the  fort  by  a  heavy  cannonade.  This  was  continued 
until  the  evening  of  the  14th,  without  material 
damage  to  the  works. 

The  American  commandant  concluded  that  an 
assault  would  be  made  during  the  night,  :t  being 
rainy  and  very  dark.  Accordingly,  he  made  such 
disposition  of  his  comparatively  small  force,  as 
would  best  enable  him  to  repel  it. 

About  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  a  heavy  column  of 
the  enemy  was  found  approaching  Towson's  battery, 
when  the  well  directed  discharges  therefrom,  aided 
by  a  shower  of  musketry,  compelled  the  British  to 
fall  back.  A  second  attempt  on  the  same  point  met 
a  like  result.  Then  the  enemy  made  a  flank  move- 
ment on  the  water  side  of  the  fort,  and  here  the 
movable  imrt  of  the  defence,  under  Wood  and 
Ripley,  met  the  attack  and  decisively  repulsed  it, 
the  falling  enemy  drifting  away  with  the  current  — 
those  who  were  wading  the  stream.     At  this  junc- 


30 


The  Niagara  River. 


tiirc,  the  enemy's  central  column  was  pressing  for- 
ward on  the  line  of  entrenchment  connecting  the 
l)atteries  of  Towson  and  Williams;  hut,  though 
making  vigorous  effort,  they  were  checked  by  the 
fire  of  Middle's  and  Fanning's  artillery,  sustained  by 
a  regiment  of  ritles,  and  Porter's  volunteers. 

While  such  were  the  failures  of  the  enemy,  in  the 
next  assault,  after  two  repulses  in  which  the  enemy 
suffered  great  loss,  they  at  last  got  possession  of  this, 
one  of  the  outer  bastions  of  the  fort.     The  enemy's 
force  first  entering   the    bastion   was   led   by    Col. 
Drummond,  a  relative  of  the  general  in  command,  a 
brave,  but  inhuman  officer.     As  the  enemy  ruslicd 
in,    Drummond,    who    was    in    the   lead,    shouted 
"Charge,   give    the   Yankees    no    (juarter."       His 
followers  rushed  ujwn  the  Americans  and  a  hand-to- 
hand  conflict  ensued.     Williams  and   Macdonough 
were  wounded.      They  a.sked  for  cpiarter,  but  Drum- 
mond    refused,     emptying    his    pistol    into    Mac- 
donough's  body.      Then  an  American  infantryman, 
who  witnessed  the  at  t,  shot  Drummond  through  the 
heart,  and  he  was  a  dead  man,  while   his   victim, 
Macdonough,  yet  lingered  in  lite.     A  few  moments 
later  a  terrific  explosion  occurred  within  the  bastion 
occupied  by  the  enemy,  blowing  the  structure  into 
the  air,  and  killing  or  maiming  most  of  those  inside. 
The  cause  of  the  explosion  was  generally  attribiited 
to   the   dying    Macdonough,    who,    to  avenge    his 
wanton  murder,  threw  a  torch  into  a  large  magazine 


. 


The  Siege  of  Fort  Erie. 


31 


chest  standing  near  where  he  was  shot  down.  Soon 
after  the  ex|)losion,  the  enemy  retired  to  their 
entrenchments,  and  the  combat  ended  ;  but  leaving 
on  the  field  220  dead  and  174  wounded;  1H6 
of  the  enemy  were  made  prisoners.  'I'hough  defeated 
in  his  attempt  to  carry  the  fort  by  storm,  the  British 
cominander,  adhering  to  his  jiurpose  of  reducing  it, 
was  opening  new  trenches,  and  establishing  addi- 
tional lotteries. 

At  the  battle  of  Lundy's  Lane,  in  July  previous, 
(ien.  Brown  and  (len.  Scott  were  wounded,  (len. 
Brown  had  so  far  recovered  from  his  wound  that 
he  hastened  to  Fort  P>ie,  and  again,  on  the  2d 
of  September,  assumed  command  of  the  American 
forces  on  the  frontier. 

During  the  four  weeks  ensuing,  both  combatants 
were  strengthening  their  positions,  and  augmenting 
their  forces  for  the  final  struggle.  'I'he  enemy  had 
been  materially  reinforced,  and  had  constructed 
additional  lotteries  and  trenches.  'I'he  Americans 
were  reinforced  by  a  column  of  militia  recruited  in 
Buffalo  by  Gen.  Porter.  The  enemy  delaying  an 
attack,  Oen.  Brown,  though  with  an  inferior  force, 
determined  to  storm  the  enemy's  position  accord- 
ing to  plans  submitted  by  den.  Porter. 

On  the  18th,   the  Americans  were  formed  into 
double  columns  of  attack  ;    that  of  the  left,  com 
posed  of  Porter's  volunteers,  C.ibson's  riflemen,  and 
the  remains  of  the  1st  and  23d  regiments  of  infantry 


liKVdl 


r 


;V2  The  Niafi^ra  River. 

was  marched  throuKh  a  wood,  and  flanked  the 
enemy's  right ;  while  that  of  the  American  right, 
under  Brig. -den.  Miller,  made  up  of  the  re- 
mains of  the  (»th,  11th,  17th,  ISHh,  and  21st  regi- 
ments of  infantry,  took  position  on  the  western 
front  of  the  enemy,  with  orders  to  force  his 
entrenchments  between  batteries  Nos.  2  and  '.I 
Such  orders  were  promptly  executed  by  the  gallant 
Miller,  and  in  a  time  remarkably  short,  three 
batteries  of  the  enemy,  two  block  houses  and  their 
connecting  intrenchments,  were  captured  and  de- 
stroyed. 

In  producing  this  result,  the  coluran  led  by  Wood, 
Porter  and  Gibson  had  their  TuU  share  of  the  work. 
After  turning  the  enemy's  right,  it  carried  hy  storm 
a  strong  block  house  in  rear  of  battery  No.  3; 
spiked,  in  the  latter,  three  24-pounders,  blew  up  the 
magazine,  and  then  assisted  Miller  in  reducing  bat- 
tery No.  2. 

"It  was  thus,"  reported  Gen.  IJrown,  '♦thot  in 
a  close  action,  not  exceeding  an  hour's  time,  one 
thousand  trooi)s  of  the  line,  and  an  ecpial  number  of 
New  York  militia,  routed  the  enemy,  and  diminished 
his  effective  force  one  thousand  men.  An  attack  so 
Ijold  in  its  conception  could  not  be  made  without 
severe  loss  ;  amounting  in  the  aggregate  to  511  men, 
including  officers  and  privates.  Among  the  officers 
killed  were  the  gallant  intrepids.  Wood  and  Gib- 
son. 


The  Siege  of  Fort  Erie. 


m 


Then  Cien.    Drmnmond,   with    the    remnant    of 

his  division,  made  a  hasty  retreat  to  I'ort  (leorge. 

The  enemy's  loss  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners 

captured  was  upwards  of  one  thousand,  officers  and 

men. 

Thus  were  contested  the  obstinate  battles  of 
Fort  Erie.  The  sanguinary  conflicts  at  Queenston, 
Chippewa  and  Lundy's  I.ane  are  e(iually  rated  in 
history  as  among  the  most  desperate  engagements 
between  armed  men  in  the  annals  of  modern  war- 
fare. 

The  visitor  at  Buffalo,  when  viewing  its  pictur- 
esi|ue  water-front,  can  gaze  upon  the  broad  expanse 
of  Lake  Krie,  the  turbulent  flow  of  the  Niagara, 
and,  where  lake  and  river  join,  can  see  the  ruins  of 
Fort  Erie;  and,  below,  the  beautiful  landscape  of 
the  Canadian  shore  for  miles  in  extent.  In  fact, 
nowhere  else  in  the  world,  within  the  distance,  are 
Nature's  wonders  so  bountifully  displayed  ;  nowhere 
are  spots  of  earth,  in  western  history,  more  historic, 
than  are  the  borders  of  the  Niagara  River. 


^ A. 


The  Patriot  PVar. 


85 


'C 

u 

I 


B 

'3 


p 


.9 


3 


CHATTER  Vll. 
iiiK  I'A'ikior  WAU. 

W  I  Til  IN  a  few  months  after  the  fmal  liattic  of 
l<'ort  Kric  the  war  was  at  an  end,  anil  there 
after  the  angel  of  peace  proi  laimetl  her  vi«  tories  on 
the  frontier  for  a  long  i.erio(l  — until  1h:{7,  when 
the  Canadian  people  were   in  trouble  with  an  u))- 
rising  of  factious  jmrtisans  in  rebellion  against  their 
local  government.     Under  their  leader,  McKenzie, 
the   self  styled    "Patriots"    congregated   in   large 
numbers  on  the  American  border,  and  early  in  tht! 
winter  occupied  Navy  Island,  in  the  Niagara  River, 
which  is  British  soil.      There,  with  the  loyalists  on 
the  opiK)site  Canadian  shore,  they  maintained  an 
artillery  duel  for  several  weeks.     The  main  casualty 
of  the  engagement  was  on  the  island,  where  a  can- 
non-shot penetrated  the  head  of  one  man  and  a 
barrel  of  beans,  causing  a  wild  scattering  of  brains 
and  beans  —  princijially  beans. 

The  winter  of  1837-H  was  an  open  one,  there 
being  no  ice  in  lake  or  harbor  at  Buffalo  prior  to 
late  in  January.  The  little  river  steamboat  Caroline 
had  enjoyed  a  iiuiet  Christmas  moored  in  the  harbor, 
when  her  owner  conceived  the  brilliant  idea  that 
his  boat  could  "earn  her  board"  .>lying  between 
Fort  Schlosser  and  the  rebel  camp  on  Navy  Island. 
Accordingly,  on  the  early  morn  of  December  28th 


.'{({  The  Niagara  River. 

the  Carolinf,  gaily  dcrorated  with  biintiHn,  and  car- 
rying a  score  or  more  of  curious  sight-seers,  steamed 
out  of  the  harbor  and  hied  herself  down  the  Niagara 
to  Fort  Schlosser.     During  the  afternoon  the  boat 
made  two  round  trips  to  Navy  Island,  and  then,  in 
fancied  security,  tied  up  for  the  night  at  Schlosser 
dock,  with  the  larty  curios,  including  her  owner, 
camped  in  the  little  cabin  below  deck.     About  two 
o'civ-'  k  in  the  morning  the  boat  was  boarded  by  a 
jarty  of  loyalists  from  Canada,  her  sleeping  jwrty 
aroused,  and,  in  their  night  clothes,  hustled  onto 
the  wharf;  the  boat  was  cast  off,  fired,  set  adrift, 
and  in  flames  she  went  kiting  over  the  Falls ;  carry- 
ing therewith  the  nether  garments  of  the  sight  seers 
from  Buffalo,   together  with  an  unimid  board  bill. 
One  of  the  curios,  a  man  named  Duffee,  an  Ameri- 
can citizen,  who  objected  to  the  proceeding,  and 
refused  to  walk  ashore,  was  promptly  killed  and  his 
body  thrown  onto  the  wharf. 

Then  the  pot  boiled  on  the  American  side :  "An 
American  vessel  cut  out  of  a  home  port,  a  citizen 
murdered  and  the  property  of  a  citizen  destroyed," 
raised  a  flurry  of  indignation  all  along  the  border. 
The  excitable  event  became  the  subject  of  con- 
siderable argument  with  the  English  Government. 
On  their  i>art  it  was  claimed  that  the  boat  had  for- 
feited her  neutrality  ;  had  aided  the  insurgents,  in 
conveying  to  them  arms  and  supplies;  and  that 
when  arrested  on  the  scene,  wherever  found,  her 


'An 


The  Patriot  IVar. 


87 


seizure  was  justifiable.  Such  claim  was  confirmed 
by  the  United  States  on  the  trial  of  one  of  the 
raiders,  who  siibse(|uently  was  arrested  when  visiting 
this  side,  and  indicted  for  murder,  tried  and  ac- 
(juitted.  However,  the  British  (lovernment  made  a 
courteous  aiK)logy,  when  the  matter  was  dropped 
and  soon  forgotten. 


m 


I ' 


^^ 


I: 


'I 


: 


I 


38  77)^  Niagara  River. 

CHAPTER   Vlll. 

(.KN.    SCOTT    AND   COl..    KIRHV. 

\X7HEN  occupying  Navy  Island,  the  Patriots 
'  *  burglarized  the  State  arsenal  at  Hatavia,  and 
look  therefrom  a  tjuantity  of  war  material  belonging 
to  the  State  of  New  York,  and  conveyed  the  same 
to  the  island. 

This  event,  and  the  affair  of  the  Caro/inc,  brought 
den.  Scott  of  the  army  and    William    L.    Marcy, 
Governor  of  the  State,   to   Buffalo.     In   the  latter 
part   of   January,    1888,    the    insurgents   evacuated 
Navy  Island,   leaving  thereon  the   property   stolen 
from    the    State     of    New    York.       (lov.     Marcy 
chartered   the   steamljoat    Barcelona    to   go   to  the 
island  and  recover  the  property,  the  State  guarantee- 
ing safety  to  the  boat  in  the  undertaking.      In  the 
early  morning  the  little  steamer  passed  down  the 
river,  landing  at  Black  Rock  to  take  on  a  military 
force  assigned  from  Fort  Porter.     Col.   Kirby,  the 
Canadian  officer   of  customs,  concluded    to    inter- 
rupt and  confiscate  the  offending  boat  on  her  return 
up  the  river  ;  he  considering  her  equally  as  culpable 
as  was  the  Caroline.    Opportunely,  two  armed  Cana- 
dian schooners  were  moored  at  Waterloo,  opposite 
Black    Rock,  which  were  Col.   Kirby's  means  and 
a  strong  wind  up  the  river  his  opportunity.     About 
midday  the  armed  vessels  were  anchored  in  mid- 


\ 


L 


I 


Ceil.  Scott  and  Col.  Kirbv. 


.19 


stream  awaiting  the  return  of  the  Harci'loiui.  (!en. 
Scott  was  on  the  ground  and  had  onlered  two 
24-i)onnders  jjlated  on  the  river  bank  abreast  of  the 
belligerent  vessels.  Ihen  two  men  rowed  out  to  the 
schooners  from  the  American  shore,  conveying  a  mes- 
sage from  (len.  Scott  to  Col.  Rirby,  stating  that 
the  Baiceloiux  was  an  American  vessel  engaged 
in  a  lawful  undertaking,  and  that  if  she  was  fired 
upon,  or  otherwise  illegally  interrupted  on  her  pas- 
sage up  the  river,  that  he,  (len.  Scott,  would  sink 
both  vessels,  with  .shots  from  an  American  battery. 

Both  banks  of  the  river  were  lined  with  expectant 
and  excited  people.  The  cannon  were  charged  and 
the  gunners  were  at  their  station.  A  like  situation 
WIS  revealed  by  field  glasses  to  be  in  order  on  the 
schooners.  All  eyes  were  cast  down  stream  for  the 
e\])ectant  steamboat.  About  sundown  she  was 
sighted  stemming  the  current.  Slowly  she  ap- 
l)roached,  while  all  hearts  throbbed  excitedly. 
Finally,  the  steamer  lajjped  the  schooners,  yet,  not 
a  gun  was  fired,  not  a  funeral  note  was  heard,  as  up 
the  rapids  she  paddled.  'Then  the  vessels  weighed 
anchor  and  drojjped  into  their  moorings  at  Waterloo, 
and  the  game  of  blulf  between  ("ol.  Kirby  and 
(len.  Scott  was  at  an  end.  I'hey  had  met  'lefore 
—  at  t'hippewa  and  Lundy's  Lane. 


T''"'''''! 


% 

I 
I 
^  s 

I. 

I 
*  « 


The  Orif>iuiil  lVe$teni  SleambOiit. 


41 


^l>»^^•»''• 


If 


u 

X 


r 


CIIAITILR    IX. 

riiK  okuwNAi.  \vi;sii:i<N  sti  .wii'.o.vr. 

INTO  the  Nia{i;ara  Kiver,  in  IHIK,  was  laun<  hod 
*■  the  first  steamboat  known  to  the  western  einiiire. 
There,  under  the  shelter  of  Stiuaw  Island,  was  luiilt 
the  steamboat  Walk-in-tlic-Walcr,  and  on  August 
2r>th,  foUowinjf,  she  started  on  her  first  passage  over 
the  surface  of  Lake  Kric,  bound  for  Krie,  Cleveland, 
Sandusky  and  Detroit.  On  this  course  she  devel- 
oped a  s])eed  of  above  seven  miles  jier  hour,  which 
was  considered  a  complete  success. 

Thus  eighty  years  ago  Lake  Krie  was  navigated 
liy  a  single  steam  craft.  Now,  the  steam  tonnage 
entering  the  port  of  Buffalo,  during  the  season  of 
lake  navigation,  is  greater  than  like  entries  of  any 
other  port  of  the  world.  Such  facts  illustrate  the 
wonderfiil  progress  of  western  civilization  anil  set- 
tlement, the  first  march  of  which  was  through  the 
river  Niagara. 

The  first  Lake  Erie  steaml)oat  was  built  on  the 
spot  of  ground  where  were  <  onstru(  ted  three  vessels 
of  the  fleet  with  which  Commodore  Perry  fought 
and  won  the  naval  battle  of  lake  Erie,  September 
10,  \>^\'^  Ihe  main  portion  of  the  fleet  was  built 
at  Prestpie  Isle,  now  Krie.  The  illustration  here 
presented  is  a  reproduction  of  IHUi,  claimed  by  the 
original  publisher  to  have  been  from  a  sketch  of  the 
commodore,  taken  on  the  spot. 


■■^■-  I 


S»i 


i     t 


.1 


jl    111,:,  .;.Wi  fr  ''n?SS 


Conclusion. 


48 


a. 

•n 


8 


) 


CONCLUSION. 

Such  is  the  world-renowned  Niagara  River,  and 
such  were  the  historii  hajtpenings  thereon  and 
therel)v.  Visitors  to  the  l'an-Ameri(an  Kxposition 
will  have  am])le  facilities  to  visit  its  every  point. 
All  is  hallowed  ground.  Ia<  nrsion  steamers  and 
•Steam  ya<hts  ])ly  briskly  o'er  ^  navigable  waters, 
while  steam  cars,  and  <ars  driven  by  electricity 
engendered  by  the  mighty  cataract,  whirl  over  its 
shores  from  lake  to  lake. 

The  Niagara  is  a  ])aradise  for  the  angler.  A  prize 
capture  is  a  lusty  bass  taken  from  the  swift  trans- 
|>arent  current.     Ye  Clods  1 


1^ 


44 


The  Niagara  River. 


si     '■ 


&    r 


BUFFALO. 

Wlicic  flaiiiini;  swonls  were  in  angc  drew, 
Where  Re<l  Jacket  paddled  his  canoe, 
And  three  Tiiayers  were  hanged  in  open  view, 
Was  Old-time  Buffalo  ! 


'ailed. 


Where  savage  life  in  the  main  prev 
Where  approach  was  by  Indian  trail. 
Then  rail-trains  met  the  gliding  sail, 
Was  Progressive  Buffalo  ! 

Where  great  lakes  lay  their  tribute  down. 
Where  miles  of  handsome  homes  aboimd, 
And  where  its  people  own  the  town, 
Is  Pomestic  Buffalo  ! 

Where  are  rural  parks  and  cosy  drives, 
Where  shaded  lawns  in  Iwauty  thrive. 
And  massive  structures  point  the  skies, 
Is  Picturesque  Buffalo  I 

Where  Niagara  flows  a  rapid  stream, 
Where  Nature's  power  replaces  steam. 
And  hustling  streets  are  smooth  and  clean. 
Is  Excelsior  Buffalo  ! 

Lot  zephyrs  blow  high  or  low, 
"  Put  me  off  at  Buffalo." 


*'i'iy}l'!«iJ/i.i 


■m 


•'^ 


V't 


^7.*^i«;j[*ij.fi«t^>*^'!^'ii'';T»::(.^-;M'-*v;;iv'  -iS'a 'iM..^.'-i;<.>.i-.-i'.v^J»;--^-^-i*W3*i**^.-w'*'«-^^^  •"■'-■      ' 


&WJ 


■■■■Mi 


